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Best performaing MK262-like ammo? Hornady, black hills, or others?

TwoNiner

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Feb 4, 2013
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I'm about to load up on a stash of match ammo for the SPR I'm building (BCM 18" stainless steel heavy barrel) and I have a couple of options in mind. First is the Hornady 75g Superformance, which hornady details as producing 2930 fps and the bullet has a G1 BC of 0.395. Looks to be about the best match load I've found so far at least on paper.

Second is the Black Hills 77 Grain Sierra MatchKing HP load, which sports an advertised velocity of 2750 fps and a G1 of 0.372.

Both are around the same price of $1/each.

Does anyone have any experience with these match rounds, specifically the Hornady round as it seems to outperform anything else Ive seen. Any recommendations for other MK262-like ammunition? I'm trying to avoid having to hand load for this rifle to keep things simple and I'd just like to be able to buy a bulk lot of match ammo so I can focus more on shooting and less on reloading.

Thanks in advance!
 
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https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/22469

5.56 / 77gr SMK - 50rd Box REMANUFACTURED

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/3628

The super performance Hornady stuff is fast, but the accuracy is only so-so. Also it won't deliver any where near those velocities in an 18" BCM barrel. The Southwest ammo is good, fast and accurate. It's also pretty cheap. You might have to wait a bit to get your order.

I buy the Fiocchi 77 gr. by the case. It's slow but stupid accurate and very consistent lot to lot. The Hornady Steel Case 75 gr is good shooting ammo and very cheap, but the cases are not reloadable.

The Black Hills stuff is fast and accurate and clocks at 2736 FPS in my 18" BCM barrel. I don't shoot much of it, as it's too expensive, and I can load my own cheaper. But I do keep a stock of factory ammo always on hand, usually the Fiocchi or Hornady Steel case.

For just pure shooting ammo I buy this https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/26163 The Fiocchi 50 gr Vmax is dirt cheap and sub MOA accurate in my 18" BCM.
 
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As I'm sure you know, what's best in our rifles may not be best in yours. Mine is a MK12 Mod 1 by Centurion built on a contract barrel and chamber. It absolutely loves Copper Creek, SW and BH 77gr loads, all at .5-.75 moa typically. Even the old SW "Run-n-Gun" ran 1moa in it. 75gr Hornady Steel Match is my only Hornady experience with this rifle, and while it ran pretty well the BH MK262 topped it in accuracy. Could be the chambering, who knows, but it was over 1.5 moa so it got cross decked to my 18" Noveske LW where it ran closer to 1 moa. Blue box BH also runs 1moa for me, similar to the SW. No issues performance wise at all, just hard to find.

Always heard good things about Silver State, just never run it.
 
I run the same as Redmanss, and I had similar results, only that the SWA did consistently better than everything else, usually closer to .5 with plenty groups at about .25. Then again, I haven't really given the brown box contract MK262 MOD0 a fair chance, as I was shooting better when I shot the SWA and I haven't bothered to sandbag the rifle. 10x mag and a 2 stage trigger, just a combination I haven't got the hang of.
 
I've had very good luck with the BH stuff. It's pretty accurate, easily sub-MOA. The velocity that I saw was 2619 with a SD of 18fps (sample size of 15 rounds). The gun is a 16" AR with a Rainier Arms (Shilen blank) SuperMatch. My ammo is also about two years old, FWIW.
 
The Hornady Superformance shot .46" 5 shot group at 100yds out of my WOA SS match 1:7 16" barrel. I tested FGMM, SSA, Nosler, PPU Match and the Hornady was the most accurate. I didnt test the BH.
 
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Buy several 20rnd boxes (4 five shot groups) and see what your rifle likes. The Hornady Superformance ammo for me is not accurate and loaded too hot. I would not buy anything in bulk without trying it first. Also, don't get hung up on the advertised velocity. It doesn't matter how fast the bullet is going if you can't hit the target ;).
 
I've had great results with Hornady 75gr T2, which is hard to come by. I've also read amazing reviews about the 77gr Fiocchi load, but also read its on the slow side. Of course, that's probably why its accuracy is better.

I plan on getting a bunch of the 69gr and 77gr Fiocchi to try.
 
I have had very surprising results from wolfs gold match 77g match kings. I chrono'd ten rounds and there was only like a 10 fps or less mean deviation and grouped less than .75 moa at 100 Yards in my KAC mod 1.
Fps were around 2500 if I remember correctly. Will see if I still have it written down.
 
If you want MK262 type performance then black hills or southwest 77s. To stock up on something cheap that isn't horrible I had decent luck with the 69gr PRVI but it was never better than MOA.

FWIW the black hills is about 24-24.3 grains of TAC and the Southwest is 23.2-23.5 8208. The black hills was 2.24-2.245" if I remember right but don't recall southwest COAL.
 
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If you want MK262 type performance then black hills or southwest 77s. To stock up on something cheap that isn't horrible I had decent luck with the 69gr PRVI but it was never better than MOA.

FWIW the black hills is about 24-24.3 grains of TAC and the Southwest is 23.2-23.5 8208. The black hills was 2.24-2.245" if I remember right but don't recall southwest COAL.


I averaged 23.6gr of TAC after pulling apart 10 rounds or so.
 
I was running BH 77gr MK262 red box for a few months but switched to the CBC. It's about $8 a box cheaper locally and it's just as accurate as the BH out of my MK12.
 
I've had surprisingly good luck with Prvi 75 grain. It would normally throw a shot at distance but was still quite acceptable, more so considering the price.
 
If you want MK262 type performance then black hills or southwest 77s. To stock up on something cheap that isn't horrible I had decent luck with the 69gr PRVI but it was never better than MOA.

FWIW the black hills is about 24-24.3 grains of TAC and the Southwest is 23.2-23.5 8208. The black hills was 2.24-2.245" if I remember right but don't recall southwest COAL.

Intresting on the Southwest. From my reloading notes...all 5-shot groups out of a Noveske 14.5".

77 gr. Sierra w/c
23.5 gr. IMR 8208 XBR
Tula .223 SR Primer
1.750” LC 09 Brass
COL 2.260”

1) ES 0.650” (0.621) ATC 0.280” (0.267)
2) ES 0.813” (0.777) ATC 0.390” (0.373)
3) ES 0.733” (0.700) ATC 0.259” (0.247)
4) ES 0.853” (0.815) ATC 0.305” (0.292)
5) ES 0.775” (0.740) ATC 0.276” (0.263)

Average ES 0.764” (0.730)
Average ATC 0.302” (0.288)

1) ES 0.818” (0.781) ATC 0.267” (0.255)
2) ES 1.025” (0.979) ATC 0.373” (0.355)
3) ES 0.936” (0.894) ATC 0.346” (0.331)
4) ES 0.705” (0.673) ATC 0.229” (0.219)

Average ES 0.871” (0.831)
Average ATC 0.303” (0.290)

1) ES 1.183” (1.130) ATC 0.421” (0.402) *CCB
2) ES 0.462” (0.441) ATC 0.173” (0.165)
3) ES 0.692” (0.661) ATC 0.237” (0.227)
4) ES 0.725” (0.693) ATC 0.296” (0.282)

Average ES 0.765” (0.731)
Average ATC 0.281” (0.296)

23.5gr was crunchy...slightly compressed in LC 09 cases. Quickload data has 8208 at 23.3 to duplicate the pressure of BH blue box 77gr with a 100.8% load density. 23.9gr of TAC for the same.
 
I would go Fiocchi as well if the twist was 1-8 or 1-9 but try a box of each as ya never know what it might like best but Fiocchi is stupid accurate in a lotta my friends rifles! My 1-7 LMT of course likes the 77 gr OTM's from BH but it shoots really small holes with it!
 
Haven't tried it yet, but I hear the IMI Razor Core is very similar to Mk262: https://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=100001635&dir=18|830|845

If anyone here orders this PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE monitor the CARD you used. There was a significant breach of CC information and more than a few people had fraudulent activity pop up on the card they used to order. I don't believe it was in house at wideners but through which ever CC processing company they use. Your CC company will most likely catch it but be vigilant. This happened earlier this year and most certainly has be fixed BUT i would be remiss if I didn't let you hiders know about it.
 
If anyone here orders this PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE monitor the CARD you used. There was a significant breach of CC information and more than a few people had fraudulent activity pop up on the card they used to order. I don't believe it was in house at wideners but through which ever CC processing company they use. Your CC company will most likely catch it but be vigilant. This happened earlier this year and most certainly has be fixed BUT i would be remiss if I didn't let you hiders know about it.

Holy shit, thanks! Just ordered a ton of shit from them.
 
I thought Hornady said dont run Superformance in gas guns as it runs to hot. Was this just the 308 stuff?
 
I never heard that but all I can say is the 5.56 Superformance shoots sub .50" in my Recce rifle and has zero pressure signs.
 
Ive had good results with 77 gr Fiocchi out of my SPR. My about 2 years ago, I did a comparison with it, Federal GMM, and both Red and Blue box from Black Hills. The Fiocchi actually had the smallest spread and the second fastest MV. It also the cheapest of the bunch. I have had a couple of rounds that flubbed--seemed to have a reduced charge or something.

But for the most part, I have been happy with it.
 
I was wondering about this stuff since it's being clearanced out at Palmetto right now Their 62gr steel-free 5.56 seems to get the thumbs up and I was hoping this did too.

We're slightly off topic, but I thought it worth mentioning. The CBC 62 grain stuff is apparently steel free as you have said. It's about the only 62 grain that is steel free that I could find. Plus it's pretty cheap in price. I bought 150 rounds of it but have not tried it out yet. Also, I'm going to buy a magnet to put against the bullet, just to make sure what has been said is true. Here's another m4carbine link. Magtech CBC 62gr FMJ 5.56 (556B)

I have to admit, I hope the CBC ammo shoots good, cause I like the packaging. Fifty rounds, basic box look but with large stamping to indicate when and where it came from.